1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to a saddle apparatus for stringed musical instruments, and more particularly, to improved saddle designs that provide a gap or separation between one or more electric pickup elements and the bridge of the instrument on which the saddle is fitted, thereby eliminating string imbalance due to uneven pressure between the saddle and the instrument and enabling accurate reproduction and amplification of the sound of the strings.
2. Background of the Invention and Description of Related Art
A conventional acoustical stringed instrument comprises a hollow body having a front face or sounding board, a back face which is substantially parallel to the sounding board, and a connecting portion which connects the sounding board to the back face around a perimeter of the respective faces. A longitudinally extending neck member extends from the body and has a distal end having a plurality of string receiving and tightening members. A bridge having a slot therein disposed perpendicularly to the neck member is connected to the sounding board, remote from the neck member. A plurality of strings extends between the bridge and the string receiving and tightening members such that the strings can be releasably placed under tension. A saddle comprising an elongated, narrow strip of hard material, such as ivory, bone or hard plastic, is slidably fitted into the slot in the bridge to support the strings. When the strings are tightened, string tension presses the strings against the saddle and presses the saddle against the bottom of the slot in the bridge. When the instrument is played, vibrational energy from the strings is transmitted through the saddle and the bridge into the sounding board and into the body of the instrument, where the vibrational energy resonates and produces sound.
Conventionally, saddles for stringed instruments are formed from material having a generally uniform density along the length of the saddle. A common approach for amplifying the sounds generated by stringed instruments involves using conventional piezoelectric elements or pickups installed underneath the saddle of stringed instruments. Usually, one piezoelectric element is installed under each string or a piezoelectric film under the entire saddle. Examples of such arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,051 to Barcus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,805 to Clevinger and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,944,209, 5,463,185 and 5,029,375 to Fishman. A drawback to these systems and other under the saddle pickup systems is that they rely on even pressure on each piezoelectric crystal element to produce an even string to string balance when amplified. Even pressure can be very hard to achieve as it relies on a very flat bottom on the saddle resting on the pickup and a very flat bottom to the bridge cavity on which the pickup rests. Minute pressure discrepancies will affect individual string volumes. This is a major complaint from installers and musicians. Also, because the under the saddle piezo pickups are resting in the bottom of the guitar bridge (in effect on the guitar body), they are very susceptible to feed back at medium to high volumes. Other pickup designs use a piezo element installed on the guitar body itself which are very susceptible to feedback and any noises from hands, arms and body touching or hitting the body of the guitar. As well, an under the saddle system interferes with the string vibration through the saddle to the guitar top when a user is playing without amplification. Furthermore, striking a string hard using an under the saddle pickup system can create what is known as a “piezo quack” effect resulting in distortion of the original string vibration signal.